ML19220C566
| ML19220C566 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 04/05/1979 |
| From: | NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Mondale W PRESIDENT OF U.S. & EXECUTIVE OFFICES |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7905110243 | |
| Download: ML19220C566 (4) | |
Text
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FOR VICE PRESIDE::T MONDALE ON THREE MILE ISLA: D Ouestion Whose responsibility is it to order an evacuation?
Answer That it the responsibility of the Governor of the State in which the reactor is located, in this case, Pennsylvania.
The governor's order would be based on the recommendation of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
The governor's action advising pregnant women and preschool children to leave the area was based on a Commission recommendation.
Question Car a plant of this design be operated
'._y?
e Answer Given the proper operating procedures and precautions, they can.
The government review now going on is designed, among other things, to make sure of this. Of course, if design changes are indicated, they will be made.
Question What is the status of the other plants built by Babcock and Wilcox, the builder of the Three Mile Island facility?
Answer NRC has placed inspectors at all Babcock and Wilcox plants, directed the operators of those plants to review NRC notices on the Three-Mile Island accident as they relate to their plants, and to rake immediate changes in procedures.
[Of the eight plants affected by the action two are now shut doun.
One for fuel reloading and one for repair on a valve.]
Question What caused the radiation?
Answer Water contaminated by exposure to radioactive fuel in ruptured fuel rods was transferred through pipes to storage tanks outside the reactor containment building.
Si mequent venting of evolved radioactive gases and spillage from the overflow of tanks released radioactive gases to the atmosphere.
While a number of employees at the site received more thar routine cccupational e:.posure, it does 79 05110 M.3
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not now appear to have been a dangerous amount.
Radiation levels outside the site did not reach harmful levels.
_Ouestion Will we ever know exactly what happened to cause the accident at Three Mile Island and to what extent it was caused and exacerbated by design flaws, human error and mechanical failures?
Answer The NRC will conduct a review which will be made public.
The President has announced (?)
a broader.....
Question Uas the bubble's forming in the reactor vessel an antici =ted event?
Answer No, it was not.
Question What is the situation today (April 5) at Three Mile Island?
Is it true that there is no longar any immediate danger?
Answer The situation at Three Mile Island is stabilized and under control.
The radiation levels have been and continue to be minimal.
We expect a controlled slow full-plant cool down over a period of weeks.
Every precaution is being taken to proceed in the safest possible way.
Question What about long term effects?
Will there be any cases of leukemia or cancer caused by this accident in the next 10 or 20 years?
Answer Based on our present knowledge of low level radiation effects, it seems likely that there will be few, if any, long term effects on the general population.
Opestion What information is available as to the causes of the accident?
Was it due to operator error, equipment malfunctions, or error in design of the plant?
Answer According to NRC staff members, who briefed the Commission April 4, indications are that human and mechanical errors, including an operator's improper closing of two key valves, contributed to the seriousness of the event at the Three Mile Island plant.
The valves apparently remained closed for two weeks prior to the accident, in violation of NRC regulations.
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i Ouestion When will results of the investigation be available?
Answer To insure a thorough investigation, it will be a number of months, and possibly up to a year, before final detailed conclusions are available.
Question Given the risks of a core meltdown or a hydrogen explosion, why were no evacuation plans put into effect?
Answer Evacuation plans were in readiness.
Had the experts involved judged a core meltdown would occur during the course of the accident or that a hydrogen explosion could occur if certain changes in the plant's operations were purposely made, an evacuation would have been ordered.
The decision would have been Governor Thornburgh's, but it would have been based on an NRC recommendation.
Question Will the United States continue to export nuclear reactors, particularly to lesser-developed countries uhich have minimal experience in assuring the safety of reactors?
Answer It is not expected that this accident uill affect U.S.
willingness to export nuclear reactors.
The safety of U.S.
plant designs is under continuing evaluation by our own regulatory authorities.
Question Will the United States be in a position to offer required technical assistance to foreign utilities which have purchased U.S.
reactors?
Answer As part of its on going cooperative program in nuclear safety, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission provides such technical assistance as is required, not only for any reactor exported by the United States, but for any country wishing to avail itself of U.S. nuclear safety experience.
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_4-Cuestion Have any nuclear reactors exported by the United States been supplied by Babcock and Wilcox?
If so, where are they located?
If none have been previously exporte.d, are any planned?
Ans*.ar A Babcock and Wilcox design reactor is now being constructed in Germany and is approximately 60% completed.
Question Will foreign nuclear experts be permitted to participate in the after accident review?
Answgr Of course.
Information on nuclear safety should be shared freely throughout the world.
Technical experts from other countries were received and briefed in Pennsylvania as well as Washington.
On April 3 representatives of 18 countries and international agencies were briefed at NRC headquarters.
This process of sharing in the post-accident review will of cource continue.
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